Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training, has announced Jacob Pace as the inaugural recipient of the Macquarie Telecom Cyber Security Scholarship at Western Sydney University.

Jacob, 28, is a Bachelor of Computer Science student who spent seven years working in event management before deciding to pursue a different career path.

Having just commenced the third year of his computer science degree at the University, where he is majoring in systems programming and security, Jacob says he is finding his studies both rewarding and challenging, and is well aware of the importance that cyber security plays in matters of economic prosperity and national safety.

“Australia faces a historic moment in how it responds to the challenge of cyber security,” Mr Tudehope said.

He said on the one hand, the nation’s businesses, citizens and government enterprises need to increase their focus on cyber security to protect their own and the national interest from those intent on doing harm.

On the other, Australia is well placed to be a leader in cyber security expertise, and a trusted place to do business in the region if it builds on its already substantial cyber security skills.

“The Cyber Security Strategy released recently clearly identified the need to train more young people as a key to Australia’s ability to respond to both challenges,” said Mr Tudehope.

“Macquarie Telecom is determined to play our part. As a provider of secure Internet and cloud services to more than a third of Federal Government agencies, we see the cyber security arms race close up.”

Western Sydney University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barney Glover, said the University is pleased to have the support of Macquarie Telecom, which is providing scholarships to some of its best and brightest students.

“Collaborating with industry allows us to not only share knowledge, but to work together to train more young professionals to work in this important and growing field.”

“At the end of the day, you can have all the greatest technology in the world available, but you can only put it to best use if you have the talented people in place,” Mr Tudehope said.

“And those smart people are already in short supply. As the requirement for greater cyber security investment spreads throughout business and government, the skills shortage will reach a crisis point unless we heed the message of the Strategy and step up.

“Macquarie Telecom today is putting its money where its mouth is and challenges others in the private sector to work with universities and other training institutions to advance all our interests.”

About the author.

Aidan is co-founder of Macquarie Telecom Group and has been a director since 1992. He is the Managing Director of Macquarie Government & Hosting Group and is invested in leading the contribution from the Australian industry on all matters Cloud & Cyber policy related.